High in spectacle, production value and style, a little lacking however in the substance and depth

Rating: 6/10 (13 June 2016)

Wasn't sure whether to check out 'Pacific Rim'. Reviews were mixed, and those who disliked it (some of vehement) were particularly vocal.
This said, being someone who has found much to like about some of Guillermo Del Toro's previous films, especially the brilliant 'Pan's Labyrinth' and who cannot go wrong with actors like Idris Elba and Ron Perlman in the cast, I watched it anyway. Admittedly there are flaws here and they are quite large, but at the same time 'Pacific Rim' also does a good deal right.
Starting with what 'Pacific Rim' excelled with, it is an incredible-looking film. The cinematography is immaculate, the editing slick, the set/production design audacious and with a suitable amount of grit, but the star visually is the special effects on the robots, which are mind-blowing and some of the best in recent memory. The action and spectacle is exhilarating stuff and keeps one glued to the edge of their seat, they're big and over-the-top but that was what the film was going for and it succeeds wonderfully. The music score fits very well and has several energetic and haunting moments, though occasionally some intrusive ones.
Del Toro does a fine job directing in the action and succeeds in maintaining the silly fun that the film was aiming for (being apparently a homage to the old Godzillas). The film does know what it's trying to be, often has some efficient pacing and target audience is never questioned, which puts it above a fair few similar blockbusters. Not all the acting is great, but there are good performances from a commanding and coolly macho Idris Elba, a expressively understated Rinko Kikuchi and an always reliable if underused Ron Perlman.
Charlie Hunnam is rather bland though in the lead, while of the failure that is the comedy double act of Charlie Day and Burn Gorman Charlie Day in particular is incredibly irritating and there are some very off Australian accents (especially from Robert Kazinsky, which keeps coming and going, often speaking in his own accent). 'Pacific Rim' also has some cringe-worthy and vomit-inducingly inane dialogue and paper thin stereotypical characterisation where not much is done to develop the characters and make one properly care for them. Unfortunately, while this reviewer is not afraid to admit that she had a fun time watching the film the story does get bogged down in the non-action scenes in derivative macho drama and over-silliness, the main culprit as aforementioned being the unfunny comedy double act, and the pacing sometimes loses tightness.
All in all, kind of a mixed view on this one. Fun and very well made, but not immune to flaws. 6/10 Bethany Cox All in all,